And then there were 10: New England Patriots Super Bowl-ography

Scroll through the timeline below to follow the New England Patriots' Super Bowl appearances.

Alice Coyle acoyle@wickedlocal.com @accoyleWL

When the New England Patriots take the field at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis Sunday, it will be the 10th Super Bowl appearance in the team’s 58-year history.

Eight of those trips to the Super Bowl have happened during the new millennium — under Coach Bill Belichick with Tom Brady at quarterback. Five of them have been Patriot victories, two of them back to back.

If Number 12 hoists the Lombardi Trophy a sixth time on Feb. 4, it will be the second time the Patriots have defeated the Philadelphia Eagles to win two consecutive Super Bowls and taken three championships in four years.

Here’s a look at the names and numbers, faces and figures that are part of the Patriots’ amazing Super Bowl history.

Super Bowl XX – Jan. 26, 1986

Superdome, New Orleans

New England Patriots vs. Chicago Bears

Coaches: Raymond Berry and Mike Ditka

Quarterbacks: Tony Eason/Steve Grogan and Jim McMahon

Results: Chicago 46, New England 10

MVP: Richard Dent, DE, Chicago

In New England’s first trip to the Super Bowl, the underdog Patriots were no match for Buddy Ryan’s vaunted defense — which many still consider the best in NFL history. The Patriots cashed in on a Walter Payton fumble and took an early 3-0 lead on a Tony Franklin field goal. But after that it was all Chicago, with the Bears scoring 44 unanswered points. The 46-10 loss was the most lopsided defeat in Super Bowl history at the time.

Super Bowl XXXI – Jan. 26, 1997

Superdome, New Orleans

New England Patriots vs. Green Bay Packers

Coaches: Bill Parcells and Mike Holmgren

Quarterbacks: Drew Bledsoe and Brett Favre

Results: Green Bay 35, New England 21

MVP: Desmond Howard, KR, Green Bay

The Patriots fared better in their second trip to the Super Bowl at New Orleans’ Superdome, playing a close game against the Packers and even taking the lead in the second quarter, albeit briefly. Brett Favre’s two, long touchdown passes and Desmond Howard’s Super Bowl record 99-yard kickoff return for a TD broke the game open for Green Bay.

Super Bowl XXXVI – Feb. 3, 2002

Superdome, New Orleans

New England Patriots vs. St. Louis Rams

Coaches: Bill Belichick and Mike Martz

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Kurt Warner

Results: New England 20, St. Louis 17

MVP: Tom Brady, QB, New England

The third time in the Super Bowl was a charm for the Patriots. New England was once again considered the underdog against the Rams’ high-powered offense, which had been dubbed “The Greatest Show on Turf.” The Patriots offense got out to a 17-3 lead and the defense was able to disrupt the Rams’ passing routes and sack QB Kurt Warner several times. Warner would get the Rams back in the game, throwing two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17 apiece. With a minute and a half to go in the game, Tom Brady took the Patriots down to the Rams 30-yard line, where clutch kicker Adam Vinatieri booted the winning 48-yard field goal as time expired.

Super Bowl XXXVIII – Feb. 1, 2004

Reliant Stadium, Houston

New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers

Coaches: Bill Belichick and John Fox

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Jake Delhomme

Results: New England 32, Carolina 29

MVP: Tom Brady, QB, New England

In one of the closest and most exciting Super Bowl games ever played, the Patriots and Panthers engaged in a defensive battle in the first half followed by back-and-forth scoring in the fourth quarter. With New England up 21-10, the Panthers scored two TDs, but missed two, 2-point conversions and took a 22-21 lead. With a little over a minute to go and the game tied at 29, Tom Brady once again drove the Patriots down the field and Adam Vinatieri kicked a 41-yard field goal to win New England’s second Super Bowl.

Super Bowl XXXIX – Feb. 6, 2005

Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville

New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Coaches: Bill Belichick and Andy Reid

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Donovan McNabb

Results: New England 24, Philadelphia 21.

MVP: Deion Branch, WR, New England

The winners of two championships in three years, the Patriots were no longer considered underdogs when they faced the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX, which was held in Jacksonville for the first time. It was a tight game through three quarters with the teams tied at 14 heading into the fourth. The Patriots scored 10 points on a Corey Dillon TD and another Vinatieri field goal. Donovan McNabb’s touchdown pass to Greg Lewis cut the deficit, but the four turnovers the Patriots forced proved too costly for the Eagles to overcome. Having won back-to-back Super Bowls and three in four years, the Patriots were now being called a dynasty.

Super Bowl XLII – Feb. 3, 2008

University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale

New England Patriots vs. New York Giants

Coaches: Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Eli Manning

Results: New York 17, New England 14

MVP: Eli Manning, QB, New York

In what was an almost perfect season, the New England Patriots went 16-0, and won two playoff games, before falling to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. Twelve-point favorites going into the game, the Patriots had a four-point lead well into the fourth quarter of a tight contest. But a late drive by the Giants, which featured a leaping, one-handed ball-to-helmet catch by David Tyree followed by a Manning TD pass to Plaxico Burress, gave New York a 17-14 lead with only 35 seconds on the clock. The loss left the 1972 Dolphins as the only undefeated champions in NFL history.

Super Bowl XLVI – Feb. 12, 2012

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

New England Patriots vs. New York Giants

Coaches: Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Eli Manning

Results: New York 21, New England 17

MVP: Eli Manning, QB, New York

Seeking revenge for their loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII, which also ended their nearly perfect season, the Patriots came up short again losing the game 21-17. The Giants had the early 9-0 lead but the Patriots battled back scoring 17 unanswered points and were up 17-9 in the third quarter, before Eli Manning launched another comeback. The Giants scored two field goals to cut the Patriots lead to 17-15, before Ahmad Bradshaw scored the game winning TD with 57 seconds to go in regulation.

Super Bowl XLIX – Feb. 1, 2015

University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale

New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks

Coaches: Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Russell Wilson

Results: New England 28, Seattle 24

MVP: Tom Brady, QB, New England

In their eighth Super Bowl appearance, the Patriots faced off against the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. After a scoreless first quarter, the game was tied at 14 at halftime. Seattle scored 10 points in the third quarter to go up 24-10, before Tom Brady brought the Patriots back, scoring two TDs in the fourth and giving New England a 28-24 lead with just over two minutes to play. Russell Wilson then went to work, driving the Seahawks down to the Patriots 1-yard line with 26 seconds on the clock. Rather than running the ball in, Seattle opted for a pass play resulting in a Malcolm Butler interception and a fourth Super Bowl win for the Patriots.

Super Bowl LI – Feb. 5, 2017

NRG Stadium, Houston

New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons

Coaches: Bill Belichick and Dan Quinn

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Matt Ryan

Results: New England 34, Atlanta 28

MVP: Tom Brady, QB, New England

History was made and records shattered in the New England Patriots ninth Super Bowl appearance at NRG Stadium. Dominated by the Atlanta Falcons into the third quarter and trailing 28-3, Tom Brady led the Patriots back from a 25-point deficit to tie the game at 28 with less than a minute to go in regulation. After winning the coin toss, the Patriots received the ball in overtime – the first ever in the Super Bowl — and went 75 yards to win the game 34-28. Running back James White scored the game winner on a two-yard touchdown run. For leading his team to the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, Brady received a record fourth MVP award and set new single game highs in pass completions – 43, pass attempts – 62 and passing yards – 466.

Super Bowl LII – Feb. 4, 2018

US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Coaches: Bill Belichick and Doug Pederson

Quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Nick Foles

Results: TBD

MVP: TBD

Heading into Super Bowl LII, the Patriots are five-point favorites over the “underdog” Eagles, a title Philadelphia has carried throughout the playoffs despite being the NFC’s number 1 seed. This is the 10th Super Bowl appearance for New England and the third for the Eagles, who last played in Super Bowl 39, losing 24-21 to the Patriots. Since the Super Bowl era began in 1967, the Eagles have never hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. Philadelphia’s football championship drought dates back to 1960 when the team last took an NFL title by defeating Vince Lombardi (the guy for whom the Super Bowl trophy is named) and his Green Bay Packers. This is the second time in the Brady/Belichick era that the Patriots are going for back-to-back Super Bowl wins and three championships in four years.